How much does a veterinary assistant make?
Typical yearly pay for veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers in the United States.
median pay per year, about $3,179 a month or $18.34 an hour.
That's more than 11% of the 100 jobs in our salary guide, ranking #89 of 100.
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| Butcher | $40,140 |
| Animal trainer | $39,990 |
| Barber | $38,210 |
| Veterinary assistant | $38,150 |
| Security guard | $38,020 |
| Restaurant cook | $37,390 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Similar jobs
- Nursing assistant$42,260
- Pharmacy technician$45,750
- Dental assistant$48,070
- Massage therapist$58,450
- Paramedic$60,600
- MRI technologist$95,480
How much does a veterinary assistant make per hour?
About $18.34 an hour, if you spread the median yearly pay over a standard 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year. Actual hourly pay varies with overtime, shift work and location.
Becoming a veterinary assistant
The U.S. Department of Labor's career profile covers the training, licenses and day-to-day tasks for this job.
How to become a veterinary assistant
About this number
This is the national median wage for the occupation “Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers” (code 31-9096.00) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 release, as published on O*NET OnLine. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less.